Cutaway door-window construction



Nov. 17, 1936. o. F. GRAEBNER 7 2,060,862

GUTAWAY DOOR WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 8, 1950 i .0 I, ,l I, I vOtto f G/"an en ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Otto F. Graebner, Detroit, Mich., assignor to The MurrayCorporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application December8, 1930, Serial No. 500,700

11 Claims.

This invention aims to utilize, in car doors, windows whose forward andrear edges are parallel except as to an upper portion of the forwardedge which is slanted backward for the use indicated.

There being recognized advantages in the inclination of Windshields, inthe minimization of windshield frame elements or door frame elements atthe ends of a windshield, and in a corresponding inclination andreduction of window frame elements provided for use adjacent the ends ofWindshields, it is an object of the present invention, providing asubstantially trapezodial window opening in the upper portion of a cardoor and employing in said opening a window whose forward edge includesan obtuse angle (a lower guide-engaging portion of said edge and a rearedge of said window being preferably substantially parallel andordinarily vertical) to provide improved means for at all times sosupporting and guiding other portions of the edges of said window as toobviate necessity for so positioning any channel as to engage theextreme upper portion of said forward window edge during completion ofan opening movement of said window; and advantageous embodiments of thepresent invention, in which an extreme upper portion of a forward windowedge may even be exposed to view during the completion of such loweringmovement, may include, in addition to convergent upper channel elementsrespectively receiving the rearward edge of said window and the upperportion of said forward edge thereof when said window is closed, adouble-arm regulating means connected with the lower edge of saidwindow, and additional channel elements whose bottoms are respectivelyin constant engagement with the rearward edge of said window and withthe lower portion of the forward edge thereof,the last-mentioned channelelement being upwardly so expanded as to provide widening flanges havingedges in substantially parallel relationship with the upper portion ofsaid forward edge, in order adequately to support the latter when saidwindow is lowered out of engagement with the corresponding upper channelelement.

Other objects of the present invention, including preferred angularrelationships and various details of construction of cooperating parts,may be best appreciated from the following description of anillustrative embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the appendedclaims and the accompanying drawing.

Fig. l is an elevational inside view of a doorwindow organizationillustrative of the present invention, parts being broken away from alladjacent parts such as windshield frame or door frame or post elementsbeing omitted.

Fig. 2 is a view comparable with the left-hand portion of Fig. 1, butshowing the window of the illustrated door as approaching its lowerlimit of motion.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view, taken substantially as indicated bythe line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view taken similarly to the views thereabove, but showing anoptional variation in the form of the window opening.

Referring first to the more general features shown in Figs. 1-4inclusive, the door D comprises an outside panel l0 and an inside panelI I, extending substantially parallel with one another and securedtogether by a Z-section peripheral element l2, of a known type. Panels[0 and II are shown as so cut and shaped as to provide a frame for asubstantially trapezoidal window opening bordered by a top edge l3, abottom edge l4, parallel therewith, a rear edge l5, and a forward edgel6,the latter being shown as downwardly divergent from both thementioned edge l5 and an inclined edge ll, provided by the upper portionof door Dvadjacent to a correspondingly inclined windshield frameelement or post, not shown.

Movable to and from a position of closure relatively to the mentionedwindow opening, there is shown a window l8, generally corresponding inconfiguration with said opening, in that it includes a top edge I 3', abottom edge l4, and a rear edge l5, respectively extending substantiallyparallel with the corresponding edges of the mentioned opening andadapted to be concealed and supported by said edges, or by channelelements adjacent thereto, when said window is closed.

A lower portion of the mentioned door beingshown as defined bysubstantially vertical edges l9 and 20, the forward edge of the windowI8 is shown as comprising not only an upper portion I6 parallel with thementioned edge I6, but a lower portion 20 parallel with the door edge 20and engageable with the bottom of a special channel element 2| duringmanipulation of the win dow l8 by any means adapted to obviate tiltingthereof. Opposite and parallel to channel 21 there is shown acooperating guide channel 22, positioned at all times to receive aportion of the edge ii of said window; and said edge is shown asperpendicular to edges l3 and I4 thereof.

When in its closed position, the window I 8 may be supported by meansincluding not only by an upwardly open channel element 23, movable bysome suitable regulator, but also upper channel elements 24 and 25,respectively extending par- 31 and 38, entering a lateral grooveprovided in the channel element 23 as to operate in a known manner. 7

In preferred embodiments of this invention, although a central portionof the lower edge 14' of the window I8 is secured in the channel ,23,

terminal portions Ma and lb of said loweredge are always retainedbetween lateral flanges 40,

40' and 4|, M of the respective channels 2| and 22; and the channelelement 2| is outwardlyextended in such manner that the edges of theflanges 40 and 4| extend substantially parallel with the forward edge I6of the window opening and the upper portions thereof are adapted toreceive a considerable portion of the correspondingly inclined upperportion I 6' of the forward edge of the window l8 whenever said windowis lowered to such a position that the last-mentioned edge is downwardlywithdrawn from the cooperating upper channel element 25, extendingsubstantially parallel therewith.

The general mode of operation of all parts'of the disclosed organizationhaving been indicated in connection with the description thereof, it issuggested in Fig. 5 that, if desired, although an obtuse angle 42between the upper portion I6 and the lower portion 20' of a forwardwindow edge may in most or all cases be substantially greater than anangle 42 between corresponding portions [1 and 20 of a door receivingsaid window, in case it is considered important completely to obviateexposure of the upper portion of a forward window edge incidentally to araising and/or lowering of the same the forward edge of a window openingmay be so modified as to include not only an inclined upper portion [61but a substantially vertical lower portion lBb,-a corresponding angle42" between these parts being preferably similar to an angle '42 or tothe more obtuse angle between the upper portion I6 and the lower portion20 of the forward edge of the window cooperating therewith in door D;and the upper channels 24, 25 are preferably formed integral with one ofthe panels [0, H or with another part providing a frame for the window.

Although the foregoing description has included details of but onecomplete embodiment of the present invention, and suggestion of but onealternative form, it should be understood not only that various featuresof this invention might be independently used but also that numerousadditional modifications might easily be devised by skilled Workers, ifinformed of the foregoing,-all without departure from the scope of thepresent invention, as the latter is indicated above and in the followingclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a car door having a window opening and having also a forward edgewhich includes an angle, an upper portion of said edge being rearwardlyinclined: a window having, in addition to substantially parallel top andbottom edges and a rearward edge extending therebetween, a forward edgehaving therein an angle between upper and lower portions thereof;upwardly convergent upper channel elements respectively reoeiving saidrearward edge and the upper portion of said forward edge when saidwindow is closed;

"window opening being substantially trapezoidal in general outline andat least an upper portion of a fordward edge of said opening beingsubstantially parallel with the upper portion of said forward windowedge and said means including a guide which provides flanges whichupwardly in- .crease in breadth, to afford lateral support for saidupper edge portion upon the withdrawal thereof from a first-mentionedchannel element. 2. In a car door having a window opening and havingalso a forward edge which includes anangle, an upper portion of saidedge being rearwardly inclined: a window having, in addition tosubstantially parallel top and bottom edges and a rearward edgeextending therebetween, a forward edge having therein an angle betweenupper and lower portions thereof; upwardly convergent upper channelelements respectively receiving said rearward edge and the upper portionof said forward edge when said window is closed; and means for sosupporting and guiding said window, in substantially parallelrelationship with the lower portion of said forward edge, as to obviatenecessity for support of the upper portion of said forward edge duringcompletion of an opening movement of said window, said rearward windowedge and the lower portion of said forward edge being substantiallyparallel, and mentioned guide means being provided by additional channelelements, substantially parallel thereto, the sides of one of which areoutwardly extended, to provide edges in substantially parallelrelationship with the upper portion of said forward window edge.

3. A vehicle having sloping pillars at a window opening, a guide channelin the window recess, a glass for closing said opening having an edgecooperating with said channel, a portion of which is of substantiallythe same slope as the slope of the. channel and a portion therebelowwhich is substantially vertical, a vertically disposed channelpositioned below said first channel to guide said vertically disposededge portion of said glass, the flanges of said channel extendingoutwardly an amount sufficient to encompass the glass at the slopingportion thereof when lowered.

4. A vehicle having sloping pillars at the window opening, a slopingguide channel associated therewith, a glass for'enclosing said openinghavingan edge cooperating with said channel, a portion of which is ofsubstantially the slope of said channel and a portion therebelowsubstantially vertical, a vertically disposed channel positioned belowsaid first channel to guide the vertically disposed edge portion of saidglass, the sides of the channel extending outwardly to constitutesloping edges which encompass the sloping portion of the edge of theglass when lowered to provide lateral support the full length of theglass.

5. A door for a vehicle provided with a window opening and having afront sloping edge adjacent to said opening, the construction of whichdoor includes a frame and panel elements secured together, a channeldisposed between said panels and'secured thereto, a window pane forenclosing said opening having a sloping edge substantially conforming tothe slope of the position of said channel, and a channel supported onsaid frame and positioned to guide said window when lowered, the sidesof the last said channel being asv of varying depth to encompass theentire front edge of the window glass when lowered.

6. In combination, a part provided with a window opening having a sideedge portion inclined to the vertical, a window for said opening mountedin said part for vertical movement, whereby said opening can beselectively exposed or closed by said window, said window having itsside edge portion adjacent said inclined opening edge portioncorrespondingly inclined, and a window runway or channel associated withsaid part for receiving the inclined side edge portion of said windowand for guiding and supporting said window edge portion during verticalmovement of said window, said runway or channel having a base and a pairof side walls, the side walls of that portion or section of said runwayor channel for receiving said inclined window edge portion, when saidwindow is in closing position relative to said opening, being of uniformdepth and the side walls of that portion or section of said runway orchannel for receiving said inclined window edge portion, when saidwindow is in exposing position relative to said opening, being ofvarying depth.

7. In combination, a part provided with a window opening having arearwardly inclined front edge portion, a window for said openingmounted in said part for vertical movement, whereby said opening can beselectively exposed or closed by said window, said window having thefront edge portion of its top part rearwardly inclined and the frontedge portion of its bottom part generally vertically disposed and awindow runway or channel associated with said part for receiving thefront edge portions of the top and bottom parts of said window and forsupporting and guiding said window front edge portions during verticalmovement of said window, said runway or channel having a base and a pairof side walls, the side walls of that portion or section of said runwayor channel for receiving the inclined front edge portion of the top partof said window, when said window is in closing position relative to saidopening, being of uniform depth and the side walls of that portion orsection of said runway or channel for receiving a vertically disposedfront edge portion of the bottom part of said window, when said windowis in closing position, and for supporting and guiding the inclinedfront edge portion of the top part of said Window when said window is inopen position relative to said opening, being of increased depth.

8. In combination, a part provided with a window opening having a sideedge portion inclined to the vertical, a win-dow for said openingmounted in said part for vertical movement, whereby said opening can beselectively exposed or closed by said window, said window having itsside edge portion adjacent said inclined opening edge portioncorrespondingly inclined, and a window runway or channel associated withsaid part for receiving the inclined side edge portion of said windowand for guiding and supporting said window edge portion during verticalmovement of said window, said runway or channel having a base and a pairof side walls, the side walls of that portion or section of said runwayor channel for receiving said inclined window edge portion, when saidwindow is in closing position relative to said opening, being of uniformdepth and the side walls of that portion or section of said runway orchannel for receiving said inclined window edge portion, when saidwindow is in exposing position relative to said opening, being ofvarying depth, with the maximum depth thereof appreciably ing along theinclined side edge portion of said opening and below said opening edgeportion for receiving the inclined side edge portion of said window andfor guiding and supporting said window edge portion during verticalmovement of said window, said runway or channel having a base and a pairof side walls, the side walls of that portion or section of said runwayor channel arranged along the inclined side edge portion of saidopening, for receiving the inclined side edge portion of said windowwhen said window is in closing position relative to said opening, beingof uniform depth and the side walls of that portion or section of saidrunway or channel arranged below said opening, for guiding said inclinedwindow edge portion when said window is in exposing position relative tosaid opening, being of increased depth.

10. In combination, a part provided with a window opening having a sideedge portion inclined to the vertical, a window for said opening mountedin said part for vertical movement, whereby said opening can beselectively exposed or closedby said window, said window having its sideedge portion adjacent said inclined open edge portion correspondinglyinclined, and window runway for guiding said window against displacementout of its plane associated with said part for securing the inclinedside edge portion of said window and for guiding and supporting saidwindow edge portion during vertical movement of said window, said runwayhaving a pair of side walls, the side walls of that portion or sectionof said runway for receiving said inclined window edge portion, whensaid window is in closing position relative to said opening, being ofuniform depth and the side walls of that portion or section of saidrunway for receiving said inclined window edge portion when said windowis in exposing position relative to said opening, being of varyingdepth.

11. In combination, a part provided with a window opening having a sideedge portion inclined to the vertical, a window for said opening mountedin said part for substantially vertical movement, whereby said openingcan be selectively exposed or closed by said window, said window havingits side edge portion adjacent said inclined open edge portioncorrespondingly inclined, and a pair of window runways for guiding saidwindow against displacement out of its plane and associated with saidpart for securing the inclined side edge portion of said window and forguiding and supporting said window edge portion during substantiallyvertical movement of said window, one of said runways at the windowopening having the extending sides terminating at the edge thereof, theother of said runways being disposed below the window opening and havingits sides extending to project below said opening to provide a channelof greater depth than the channel formed in said first runway.

OTTO F. GRAEBNER.

